Since the Redskins' bye in Week 10, the Washington Redskins have been on fire. They have defeated NFC East division rivals Eagles, Cowboys and Giants in consecutive weeks—averaging 29 points per game. This winning streak has certainly elevated the 'Skins' position within the NFC playoff race and intensified the players' enthusiasm, game play and mindset.

During this three-game winning streak, four players stand out and deserve recognition:

RB Alfred Morris. In hindsight, this sixth-round draft pick by the 'Skins and 34th-ranked running back entering the 2012 NFL draft is a stroke of pure genius. Kudos to the Redskins' scouts for this blessing.

Much of the credit for the 'Skins' success falls upon this astounding young man's ability and power. In the last three wins, Morris has 313 yards, averaging 22 carries per game, with one touchdown.

In an address to the media on Redskins.com after the Giants victory, QB Robert Griffin III described Morris' performance best by saying, "He looks like he's playing pee-wee football out there. He won't go down."

WR Pierre Garcon. We should call him the "comeback kid." Garcon showed no signs of a lingering toe injury that sidelined him for six of the first nine games of the 2012 season. Over the last three victories for the 'Skins, Garcon had 15 catches for 197 yards and two TDs.

Although it may not seem like an earth-shattering statistic, the catches occurred at key moments of Redskins' drives—converting third downs and scoring both touchdowns at crucial moments in the game.

Without Garcon's return to the starting lineup, QB RG3 would have alternative receivers. Thankfully, his return has allowed the Redskins' run toward a playoff berth to continue and Garcon to be an additional offensive threat.

LB London Fletcher. The 15-year veteran has played in every game in his NFL career, a 236 consecutive-game streak, and has been hampered in the past several weeks with an ankle injury. He has missed practice or has been very limited in practice, even wearing an ankle boot to protect and heal his injury, during the 'Skins' current three-game winning streak.

That doesn't matter to this three-time Pro Bowl defender. Even without practice, Fletcher has erupted in the last three games. He has 100 tackles on the season, and during the last three games, he has accounted for 28 tackles and one interception.

Fletcher leads the team as their senior leader and certainly has a passion for the game, which was on display during the Monday Night Football game on Dec. 3 when he wore a microphone.

Finally, QB Robert Griffin III. How do you begin to describe some of the things he has accomplished as a rookie in the NFL? He has been nominated again as the "NFL Rookie of the Week" each of the last three Redskins wins. His is the top-selling NFL jersey.

RG3 deserves the nominations in each of the team's last three wins. The numbers don't lie, as they say. He has completed 73 percent of his passes ( 46-of-63 ) for 667 yards, nine TDs and one interception. That equates to 14.5 yards per completion and a passer rating of 130.6 over the three-game span. He has been sacked only five times for 24 yards. That's just his passing statistics.

RG3, or "Bobby Three Sticks," (which is a nickname that has been attributed to him and that I like) has gained 185 yards on 24 carries—7.7 yards per rush with two fumbles that were recovered by the 'Skins.

Conclusion. The Redskins group mentioned in this article, along with many other Redskins, make up a "Team of Individuals." The outstanding individual effort by these four players deserve a special mention and recognition. They are keys components in a rejuvenated team that sat on a 3-6 record one month ago and have since emerged as a playoff contender that includes a must-watch tandem of rookies RG3 and Alfred Morris.

The Washington Redskins host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 1p.m. ET on CBS.

Less than a week before UFC on Fox 5, another fight has been lost from the event. Heavyweight Lavar Johnson was forced out of the event last week with a pulled groin, dropping his fight with Brendan Schaub, and the UFC announced late Sunday night that Ultimate Fighter 15 winner Michael Chiesa has had to drop out as well.

Chiesa was scheduled to face Marcus LeVesseur on the card, but has been forced out of the event after falling ill. He would have been making his first appearance since winning the reality show's first live tournament in June, and would have been doing so in his home state of Washington. This unfortunately will not allow him to do that.

LeVesseur was his second scheduled opponent after Rafaello Oliveira came up injured, and now he's likely off the card as well. That would bring the card down to 11 of a previously 13 scheduled fights, and would shift another one of the night's preliminary card fights onto the three-hour FX prelims broadcast.

Penick's Analysis: That's disappointing news. It must have been something severe illness-wise to take him out of the event six days before, and it's really unfortunate for both he and LeVesseur. It could have been an entertaining preliminary card fight, and now Chiesa misses out on fighting in front of his hometown, while LeVesseur misses out on an opportunity to pick up a big win. Dana White may have jinxed himself last week, joking for everyone to tone it down in training. Obviously this one wasn't an injury, but losing two fights in the final ten days before an event is far from ideal.

Bellator 82 comes live tonight from the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. The event is capped off by the season seven welterweight tournament finals between Lyman Good and Andrey Koreshkov, and you can catch the entire event right here tonight at MMATorch.com! Tune in tonight for the live embedded stream below as the prelims kick off at 6PM ET!

The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season is now complete and a new season in NASCAR has begun. The short offseason in NASCAR is often referred to as “NASCAR’s Silly Season.”

It has only been two weeks since the checkered flag was waived at Homestead Miami Speedway, ending the 2012 season. Most of the personnel changes for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup series are already in place.

The biggest storyline for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season will be the design of the cars. Each team will use cars that resemble the production model car driven by the fans. Chevy will use the Chevy SS, Ford will use the Fusion and Toyota will use the Camry. The new cars for each team can be viewed at the Jayski.com 2013 Paint Scheme page.

The design of the race cars is not the only changes in NASCAR for the 2013 season. Many personnel changes have been made and some teams have switched to new manufacturers. Here is a list of the NASCAR team changes that will have the most impact on the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season…

Football, as we all know, has enormous power to prompt actions that are both bad and good. Two stories from far-flung regions of the world remind us of both this week.

First, the bad news.

From the Netherlands, we hear of the shocking death of a linesman who was attacked and beaten by a group of youth players after officiating a match over the weekend.

The Independent reports that three players from NieuwSloten, a youth club in Amsterdam, beat 41-year-old linesman Richard Nieuwenhuizen so severely on Sunday that Nieuwenhuizen was taken to the hospital. Doctors said Monday that Nieuwenhuizen had died from his injuries.

If that doesn't shock, this will: One of Nieuwenhuizen's sons was playing in the match. Police said they have arrested three players between ages 15 and 16.

FIFA president SeppBlatter expressed shock on behalf of the entire football world:

I was deeply shocked to learn of this tragic incident. Football is a mirror of society and sadly, the same ills that afflict society—in this case violence—also manifest themselves in our game.

Nevertheless, I remain convinced that football—through the example set by the tireless efforts of people like Mr Nieuwenhuizen—is a force for good, and we must continue use its positive example to educate people against these wrongs.

In the face of such senseless violence, Blatter is right to put his hope in the power of football to accomplish good. That hope is reinforced by a story from Mexico about Manchester United forward Javier Hernandez.

Known affectionately as Chicharito, Hernandez is so popular in his native Mexico that crime drops when he plays. Really.

Hicks called Texas co-recruiting coordinatorBruce Chambers and told him he had decided to switch commitments from the Longhorns to TCU.

“One, I get to play for an outstanding football team,” Hicks said. “Two, I get a good education from a private school, and three, it is 15 minutes from home.”

This is a disappointing decommitment for Mack Brown and his 2013 class, especially considering that Hicks was his only running back commitment so far. Not only that, but Hicks is considered to be the No.15 overall running back in the nation according to the 247Sports composite rankings, so there's no doubting the fact that Texas has lost out on a very good player.

As is the case with any commitment, it's easy to get fixated on the negatives, so let's take a look at the positives for a moment and examine the Longhorns options from here on out.

If there is anything Texas fans can take solace in, it's the fact that running back isn't necessarily a huge need for the program at the moment. In fact, Texas is looking very good in the backfield.

Joe Bergeron is a sophomore, and he's had a fantastic year, rushing for 565 yards and 16 touchdowns on 122 attempts. Johnathan Gray, on the other hand, is just a freshman, and he's also been very impressive, running for 683 yards and three touchdowns on 142 attempts.

Those two alone should be able to handle the running back duties admirably for the next few seasons at least, and when you consider that sophomore Malcom Brown also pitched in for 316 yards and four touchdowns on just 57 carries, it seems as if the Longhorns are set at running back for the time being.

Losing a talented running back like Hicks certainly hurts, but it's a loss that Brown and the Longhorns can overcome.

As far as recruiting is concerned, the Longhorns may be best served turning their attention to other positions in an effort to land a few more elite recruits. They're in the top five for two JUCO four-star recruits in weak-side defensive end Za'Darius Smith and offensive tackleDesmond Harrison, so focusing on those two recruits should be a priority.

Depth is huge at the running back position, so Texas shouldn't abandon its search for a 2013 back altogether (and I doubt they will), but at least for the time being, they can afford to focus on other positions.

Frankly, there's a plethora of three-star running backs from the state of Texas that would be more than talented enough to play a role on the depth chart, and their lower star rating doesn't necessarily equate to lower potential or production.

Either way you look at it, the Longhorns will be just fine after this decommitment.

The Big News: Raw celebrated its 1000th episode with a star studded collection of returning wrestlers and a memorable CM Punk heel turn.Show Analysis:They premiered a new WWE logo video to start, reading ?then,? ?now,? and ?forever.? The show then featured video of Raw moments throughout the years. There was plenty of good stuff in there, but also a heavy emphasis on the ridiculous and on celebrity guest hosts. They have a new set on the stage too. It looks good and is basically the same as before.Vince McMahon came ...

"The California Kid" may be heading back to his home state this coming February, as MMAWeekly.com reports that Urijah Faber will take on Ivan Menjivar at UFC 157 in Anaheim, Calif.

Faber was connected to a bout with Vaughan Lee at UFC 156 earlier in February, but now it appears he'll move back a few weeks for a rematch with Menjivar.

The two fought at an event in Canada in January of 2006, a fight Faber won by disqualification after getting hit by an illegal kick while downed. Both fighters have had very different paths to UFC 157, but both fighters have found their way to the bantamweight division, and a chance to get a clear result against one another.

Faber hopes to continue his winning streak in non-title fights, and bounce back from a loss to Renan Barao last July, while Menjivar wants to continue his momentum after a slick armbar submission over Azamat Gashimov just weeks ago at UFC 154.

Penick's Analysis: This is a much more sensible fight for Faber than Vaughan Lee, and on paper a more challenging one as well. Faber-Menjivar is a competitive matchup, and though Faber will still be favored in this matchup as well, it won't be quite as one-sided as most would have expected the Lee fight to be.

[Urijah Faber art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

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"I'm not over that. It's not about compartmentalizing. It's about embracing all of it, accepting all of it. That moment, losing, happened once in the past six years. That moment happened to me like it was yesterday. The work I'm doing now, that's what makes me win my next fight... I don't take it and forget about it. You have to take it, let it fuel you, and make you a better fighter and person."

-UFC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson talks to MMAJunkie.com about the loss to Anthony Pettis that still burns in his mind and drives him forward.

Penick's Analysis: Everyone needs something to latch onto, something that can motivate them to get whatever it is they need to get in life. For Henderson right now, that WEC loss to Pettis - complete with the insult-to-injury "Showtime Kick" that will never stop being a highlight - is one of those nagging things that he can't necessarily live down, but that he can turn to a positive. By not letting that consume him, but instead drive him to improve, he's gone on a hell of a run in the UFC. He hopes to continue that next weekend at UFC on Fox 5, and if he does that, along with a Pettis win over Donald Cerrone in January, he'll likely have a chance to avenge that defeat.

[Ben Henderson art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

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Though the UFC wants to put together a fight between Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre, the UFC Welterweight Champion and his team feel he's got fights remaining at 170 lbs. Now, while the Silva fight is still in play, the question turns to which of the welterweight fights could also be in play.

For St-Pierre's trainer, Firas Zahabi, there's a clear No. 1 contender in his mind, and it's not the man who believes he should be in that spot, Johny Hendricks.

"I think [Nick] Diaz is the guy who deserves it most," Zahabi said in an interview with MMAJunkie.com. "His fight with Carlos [Condit] was so close. Who knows? People judge it both ways. [Diaz is] the guy who is the Strikeforce champion. He climbed up the ladder all the way. Johny deserves it very much, but Diaz has been there longer and done more fights and has bigger wins."

"If you want to be really fair about it, he is the guy who beat the most amount of names in the biggest fights."

For now, St-Pierre is on vacation after his win over Carlos Condit, not ready to make any decisions on who he'll fight next. And though the Silva fight is there, the ever-fluctuating divisional picture has brought out a number of contenders at 170 lbs. once again.

"There will be plenty of time to discuss it," Zahabi said. "Everybody wants to know, and that's normal. But at the end of the day, he needs to enjoy himself. I'm sure we'll all get on the phone sooner or later."

"After he beat B.J., people were like, 'The division has been cleared out.' But then it always seems to be the same thing. Some other guy gets a big win, and the division is not cleaned out. You just saw the same thing. Hendricks got a big win, and it's like there's still Hendricks on the table and still Diaz on the table. [Jon] Fitch just beat Erick Silva, so that name is back in the mix."

Penick's Analysis: Zahabi's got some good points, and really there's more competitiveness in the top end of the welterweight division than there's been in some time. Fitch getting back into the mix is another realistic future opponent, but if he's bested by Demian Maia, then Maia takes his spot in that mix as well. Both Diaz and Hendricks could be potential challengers as well, or they could fight each other if St-Pierre fights Silva. Regardless, there are more options for St-Pierre now than there have been in recent years.

[Nick Diaz art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

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The UFC has a massively packed schedule to close out 2012, with four separate events bringing over 40 fights to fans on free TV and pay-per-view. There's lots and lots to like this month, and a lot of really exciting and relevant fights will be happening throughout the month. Here are the ten fights I'm most looking forward to in closing out the year:

10.) Raphael Assuncao vs. Mike Easton - UFC on Fox 5 - Dec. 8

The preliminary card on next week's UFC on Fox 5 card brings a highly relevant fight in the UFC's bantamweight division. Though Easton had two other opponents previously scheduled for this event, Assuncao is actually an even better option than what was initially planned. Easton's eight-fight winning streak has him trying to carve a path to a title shot, and he'll run up against a very tough test in Assuncao on Saturday in Seattle. It's a great fight, and should be very entertaining to watch.

9.) Brad Pickett vs. Eddie Wineland - UFC 155 - Dec. 29

I've made it no secret that I love watching Brad Pickett fight. Loss to Renan Barao aside, the 135 lb. Brit is one of the most talented and exciting fighters to watch in the bantamweight division, and after bouncing back from the loss to Barao by taking out Damacio Page and Yves Jabouin in consecutive fights I can't wait to see him continue trying to move back up the ladder. Wineland, despite losses to Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez, kept himself relevant with a knockout over Scott Jorgensen earlier this year, and this fight gives both he and Pickett an opportunity to shine on the FX prelims. It's just a great bantamweight matchup, and it should be an excellent fight in Las Vegas.

8.) Melvin Guillard vs. Jamie Varner - TUF 16 Finale - Dec. 15

It's downright impossible for this to be a bad fight. Varner, the former WEC Champion, is coming off a disappointing submission loss to Joe Lauzon in what was easily one of the best fights of the year at UFC on Fox 4 in August. Guillard is coming off a knockout loss in a crazy back and forth fight with Donald Cerrone from August himself. Both are almost always entertaining, and with backs against the wall will be out to put on a show on FX. This is just some great matchmaking from Joe Silva, and it should be one of the most exciting fights of the month.

7.) Joe Lauzon vs. Jim MIller - UFC 155 - Dec. 29

Speaking of Lauzon, he's out to build upon that win over Varner, which came after a head kick KO loss to Anthony Pettis in February. Miller steps into the fight on short notice after Gray Maynard was forced out of the event due to injury, but he also makes a suitable replacement, and an interesting opponent for Lauzon. Miller himself needs to bounce back from a loss, his coming against Nate Diaz in May in a fight that moved Diaz into a fight with Ben Henderson next weekend. Miller's as good of a replacement as they could have gotten for Maynard, and it makes this a really intriguing lightweight fight in Las Vegas.

This was a fight that always made sense as a progression up the ladder for Gustafsson, and after Rua added a win over Brandon Vera in August, this is a crossroads fight for him. Stop the momentum for the rising challenger, he can see one last run at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Lose, and he'll be on the tail end of his time as a title-worthy competitor. For Gustafsson, it's a fight he needs to win to keep himself on track for a shot at the title. That's something that could come as soon as one fight after this one, though he'll have a couple of others vying for a shot as well. But this is a huge opportunity, and a very good fight in the light heavyweight division.

5.) Alan Belcher vs. Yushin Okami - UFC 155 - Dec. 29

Belcher's been battling a ton of injuries in the last several years, and it's unfortunately hindered his chances at being in the conversation for a Middleweight Title shot. However, a win over Okami can shoot him right back up that ladder, and get him a fight or two in 2013 that move him into contention. Okami rebounded in August from the first consecutive losses of his career, but he's facing a fearless competitor in Belcher, who will be out to prove his wroth at 185 lbs. This is a huge fight for the careers of each fighter, with Okami wanting to stay relevant as an elite talent in the division, and Belcher trying to prove that he belongs in that conversation to begin with.

4.) Hector Lombard vs. Rousimar Palhares - UFC on FX 6 - Dec. 14

Lombard's last fight was a disappointment. There's no two ways around that. Palhares was tooled by Belcher despite getting the fight to where he's comfortable. However, this matchup in a vacuum is incredibly interesting. This is the two shortest and stockiest 185 lb. fighters in the UFC squaring off, one who prefers to keep his fights standing, the other who wants to rip the legs off of every man he faces. It's a dynamic style matchup, and is going to either be fantastic, or a complete stalemate, depending on how both fighters approach the bout. I'm optimistic for the former, and it's a fight I really can't wait to see.

Yes, I know we just saw this fight play out in decisive fashion just over a year ago, but there's a part of me that really does believe we didn't see the best of either fighter in that first Fox main event. Both were battling injuries coming in, which affected the gameplans each brought into the cage. With the way Velasquez dispatched of Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in May, and with how excellent dos Santos has been throughout his UFC run, I think we're going to see both fighters a lot closer to their best this time around. That doesn't mean we'll get a different outcome, necessarily, but there was enough negatively affected due to injury the first time around to make this rematch really interesting, and I really can't wait to see it in the final UFC fight of 2012.

2.) B.J. Penn vs. Rory MacDonald - UFC on Fox 5 - Dec. 8

This fight bumps past the Heavyweight Championship for two reasons. 1) Penn is in excellent shape, and 2) yes, I buy into that despite my better judgment. Look, B.J. Penn is one of the most fun fighters to watch, and he always has been. Yes, he's been out of action since a shellacking at the hands of Nick Diaz last October, but he's gotten himself in phenomenal shape over the last several months, and he's coming back because he's got something to prove. He wants to do so against one of the more promising up and comers the UFC has seen in some time, but MacDonald has to prove he can beat elite competition at welterweight as well. He's taken care of some lesser competition in his last few fights, and though Penn's been off a year, he's still a step up. This is a great matchup, and should be a really exciting welterweight fight on Fox next week.

To get it out of the way immediately: I still think Frankie Edgar should be in this spot. I think he won the rematch against Henderson in August, and the fact that the decision went against him was wrong in that fight. With that said, this Henderson-Diaz matchup is still quite fantastic. Henderson, despite a lack of finishes in his recent successful run, is a dynamic and well rounded fighter who is nigh impossible to finish. Diaz has reemerged as a legitimate force at lightweight by doing exactly that in a number of fights, and capping that off by submitting another nigh un-submittable opponent in Jim Miller makes him a very game challenger here. Because this fight can go so many different directions, and because both fighters are so much more than one dimensional fighters, this makes for an incredible Fox main event, and the most exciting fight on paper for the remainder of this year.

Last Tuesday’s SmackDown! taping in Toledo, Ohio was one of the worst attended WWE events in years as it drew 3,200 fans, with only 1,600 paid.Following the event’s poor advance, WWE only sold tickets facing the camera so the Huntington Center would appear full on television. SLAM! Wrestling columnist Matt Bishop, who attended the event, described the venue’s appearance: “Tuesday’s tapings of WWE Smackdown, Superstars and NXT wasn’t notable because of what happened in the ring, but rather because of what was happening outside the ringside area. Or more appropriately, ...

MMA Payout had the opportunity to speak with OneFC CEO Victor Cui about the company?s recent agreement with Glory Sports International to a fighter exchange program. ?[The move] shows the exponential growth of MMA in Asia,? Cui added, ?It?s a distinct Asian approach.? Cui points to the collaborative and inclusive approach of the OneFC Network [...]

Forrest Griffin talked to UFC.com about his UFC 155 bout with Phil Davis. The original "The Ultimate Fighter" winner is 2-1 in his last three fights, and has no intentions of dropping a bout to someone who wear pink shorts, like Davis has since UFC 11...

The 2012 ACC Championship Game didn't have much hype compared to the rest of the conference-deciding ones across the country, despite a BCS bowl game up for grabs along the East Coast.

Thanks to Florida State and Georgia Tech, those theories were dispelled on Saturday night.

Florida State held on for a 21-15 win, and with it a spot in the Orange Bowl. The Seminoles used a balanced attack and hit Georgia Tech with some of its own medicine, running the speed option to perfection to pick up yardage on crucial downs.

The spirit just wasn't there early on in this game, even with the ACC championship and a BCS berth on the line. From ESPN commentators Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit to the fans in the stadium, there wasn't enough energy or on-the-field excitement to match the level of qualification the game entailed.

That all changed midway through the fourth quarter, when Georgia Tech used three Florida State second-half turnovers to mount a comeback.

The Yellow Jackets cut the score to 21-15 with less than seven minutes to play. But Florida State defensive back Karlos Williams intercepted Tevin Washington's pass with a minute to play, and the Seminoles will finish the regular season as the ACC champion.

EJ Manuel finished with 134 yards and an interception for the 'Noles, while Washington had 96 yards of total offense and accounted for his team's only touchdown, but he couldn't capitalize on the final drive to upset the No. 13 team in the country.

Both teams had over 180 yards on the ground in an epic display of using the option effectively.

Twitter Reaction

We'll get things rolling on the Twitter reaction portion with ESPN's Stats & Information, which outlined bad news for the Yellow Jackets even before kickoff:

No 5-loss team has made it to a BCS bowl. Wisconsin (5 losses) and Georgia Tech (6) have a chance this season. #B1G#ACC

Vad Lee came in during the first half to get the Yellow Jackets going. He helped create the first three points for Georgia Tech, and the freshman caught the eye of the conference's official athletics account:

And THAT'S why you play Vad Lee. Long pass complete for 42 yards to Waller. ball on FSU 23. #ACCFCG

Karlos Williams didn't have a huge game, but he made the penultimate play of the game and saved his team from an upset.

He stepped in front of Washington's pass with Georgia Tech driving, a touchdown away from taking the lead, and took it all the way down the to the 5-yard line before Manuel took three knees to finish the game.

Defense has been Florida State's calling card all season, and it was yet again on Saturday night. Florida State has used defense to garner a top ranking and will need it again in the Orange Bowl. The defense as a whole may have held the opposing offense to 15 points, but Williams made the biggest play of the night.

Bowl Outlook

The Seminoles await the BCS standings to find out their opponent. It's looking more and more like Northern Illinois, but Boise State could also stake its claim. Still, it's a good night in Florida, as two big schools are both going big-boy bowling.